Through-wafer vias are widely used in modern electronic devices and integrated circuits (ICs). Typically such vias are filled or lined with a conductor thereby providing a low resistance connection from the front side of the device or IC where the active regions are often located to the back side of the device or IC where it is intended to be bonded to a support, heat sink, ground plane or higher level circuit. As devices and ICs become smaller or operate at higher frequencies or utilize various non-type IV semiconductors for the active devices, it can become more difficult to efficiently and economically provide such through-substrate vias. This is especially of concern when III-IV semiconductors are used for the active devices and it is further desired to use other materials, such as for example silicon carbide, as substrates on which the device or IC is formed. Accordingly, a need continues to exist for improved device structures and methods of manufacture for providing through-substrate vias in semiconductor (SC) devices and ICs employing these and other materials.